Chapter 4 - VERONICA'S DEBT
Veronica asked to meet.
Claire refused.
Then Maya advised otherwise.
“People separated from the strongest personality in a scheme often start talking.”
“Strongest personality?”
“Your father.”
Claire almost laughed.
Derek felt stronger.
But family power is older than romantic power.
Veronica arrived at Maya’s office wearing sunglasses.
The fading handprint on her cheek was gone.
She looked furious anyway.
“You hit me.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not sorry?”
Claire thought.
“I’m sorry Khloe saw it.”
Veronica flinched.
Good.
Then Claire asked:
“Why is Derek on my voting proxy?”
Veronica’s face went white.
That was enough.
She sat.
The truth came slowly.
Veronica owed $620,000.
Not from one disaster.
Dozens.
Business losses.
Personal loans.
Tax liens.
A private lender she never told anyone about.
Richard knew.
Derek found out.
Then Derek offered a solution.
Sell Whitmore Logistics.
Fast.
Use part of the proceeds to clear family debt.
Richard would preserve the farm properties.
Veronica would avoid bankruptcy.
Claire’s shares made the sale impossible without her approval.
She had already rejected Trident’s offer months earlier because it was too low.
So they decided Claire needed “temporary distance” from the transaction.
The proxy was the mechanism.
Claire stared at Veronica.
“You forged my consent to sell an asset I own so you could pay your debts?”
Veronica cried.
“It wasn’t supposed to be permanent.”
Claire almost laughed.
“What does temporary theft look like?”
Veronica covered her face.
Then Claire asked:
“What did Khloe see?”
Veronica went still.
“I don’t know.”
“You were in the hallway.”
“I heard Derek talking to her.”
“What did he say?”
Silence.
Claire’s voice changed.
“Veronica.”
“He told her not to bother you with adult things.”
“That’s not what she said.”
Veronica started crying harder.
“He said you could get hurt.”
“And you did nothing.”
“I told him afterward he went too far.”
Claire stared.
Afterward.
Private disapproval.
Public defense.
The family specialty.
“Why did you shove me?”
Veronica whispered:
“Because Dad said if you started asking questions before the documents were signed, we’d lose everything.”
Claire leaned back.
“No.”
May you like
Veronica looked up.
“You were afraid you’d lose what belonged to me.”
